Integrated energy-saving building heating/cooling system by efficient air circulation technology

ABSTRACT

[Problem to be Solved] 
     To provide “Integrated energy-saving building heating/cooling system by efficient air circulation technology” that can efficiently convect warm/cold air to difficult-to-heat/cool corners of the under-floor space, widely heating/cooling the under-floor space, and thereby efficiently heat/cool the building. 
     [Solution] 
     Above-floor space  2  and under-floor space  3  is connected through an opening portion  4 , and adapted to heat/cool the above-floor space  2  by supplying warm/cold air to the under-floor space  3  and blowing out the warm/cold air through the opening portion  4 , including: warm/cold air blowing means  6  adapted to send warm/cold air to the under-floor space  3 ; and an air flow baffle plate  7  placed in the under-floor space  3  and adapted to convect the warm/cold air sent from the warm/cold air blowing means  6  in the under-floor space  3.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention provides the integrated energy-saving buildingheating/cooling system by using efficient air circulation technology.The key technology is to use airflow baffle plate placed in theunder-floor space. The airflow baffle plate generates efficient naturalair stream in the building. And that natural air stream circulatesheating/cooling air efficiently in the building. This technologymaintains air temperature inside of the building in energy-savingmanner.

TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND

Various methods to heat the air inside of building are available.Heating system has been proposed that heats the inside of building byblowing out warm air from the under-floor space toward above-floor spacein building.

For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-140755 proposes abuilding with under-floor heating.

It is realized by followings;

Facilities installed in at least one of a plurality of under-floorspaces.

Under-floor air inlet provides to take outside air into the under-floorspaces.

Floor outlet provides to take air into indoor space from the under-floorspaces.

Exhaust air outlet provides to discharge air to the outside from theindoor space.

Vent holes provides to circulate air between the under-floor spaces.

Open-close device is to open and close the vent holes.

Control means provide to control open/closed state of the open-closedevice and set ventilation route (Patent Literature 1).

According to Patent Literature 1, in the building with under-floorheating, since the ventilation route can be changed by opening andclosing the vent holes, a heating area can allegedly be set freely.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-140755

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by this Invention

The invention described in Patent Literature 1 has a problem. It isdifficult to maintain a fixed temperature in each under-floor space.Even if a ventilation route is secured, air flows merely from a venthole to a next vent hole. It is less likely that convection is going tooccur in the under-floor space.

Therefore, in order to heat/cool the whole under-floor space, walls areheated/cooled by radiant heat/cool before air is heated/cooled. It takesa great deal of time. Also, if cold/warm air does not flow in adirection of the floor outlet, cold/warm air is going to blow out. Thenthe indoor space is not going to be become warm/cold.

This invention is to solve the above problems. It can efficientlyconvect warm/cold air whole inside of the building space including thecorners of the under-floor space.

Means for Solving the Problems

This invention “Integrated energy-saving building heating/cooling systemby efficient air circulation technology” is connected betweenabove-floor space and under-floor space each other through an openingportion. This system provides to heat/cool above-floor space bysupplying warm/cold air to the under-floor space. And is blowing out thewarm/cold air from the opening portion. Comprising warm/cold air blowingmeans provide to send warm/cold air to the under-floor space. Air flowbaffle plate placed in the under-floor space provides to convect thewarm/cold air sent from the warm/cold air blowing means in theunder-floor space.

As one of the implementation case in this invention, the air flow baffleplate may be placed in a corner of the under-floor space to convect thewarm/cold air clockwise or counterclockwise in the under-floor space.

As one of the implementation case in this invention, the air flow baffleplate may be placed such that an air passageway is to circulate thewarm/cold air. It is also allowed to be set between the air flow baffleplate and wall surface in a corner of the under-floor space.

As one of the implementation case in this invention, stud runner is tosupport floor material installed in the under-floor space. It is alsoallowed to be set with straightening vane sloping gently from floorsurface in the under-floor space to top surface of the stud runner.

As one of the implementation casein this invention, the warm/cold airblowing means is an air conditioner. Air inlet is placed on the side ofthe above-floor space. And air outlet is placed on the side of theunder-floor space.

As one of the implementation case in this invention, air supply duct isto supply air to the air conditioner.

It is also allowed to be installed behind the wall surface of theabove-floor space.

As one of the implementation case in this invention, return air inputport provides to get partial warm/cold air from the above-floor space asreturn air may be installed behind the wall surface where the air supplyduct is installed. And a mixture of air supplied from the air supplyduct and the return air may be supplied to the air conditioner.

As one of the implementation case in this invention, refrigerant pipebetween air conditioner body and outdoor unit of the air conditioner maybe laid in the under-floor space or under floor surface of theunder-floor space.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The present invention can efficiently convect warm/cold air todifficult-to-heat/cool corners of the under-floor space, widelyheating/cooling the under-floor space, and thereby efficiently heat/coolthe building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing under-floor space (left side) andabove-floor space (right side) in this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a flow of warm/cold air through thebuilding under-floor space and above-floor space and an air conditionerin the building heating/cooling system in this implementation case.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing installed condition of an outdoor unit andrefrigerant pipe of the air conditioner in this implementation case.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a stud runner and straightening vaneinstalled in the under-floor space as well as a flow of warm/cold airthere around in this implementation case.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a flow of warm/cold air in the buildingunder-floor space in the embodiment of the building heating/coolingsystem in present invention.

THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT TO IMPLEMENT THIS INVENTION

The following is the implementation case regarding “Integratedenergy-saving building heating/cooling system by efficient aircirculation technology” with reference.

In this implementation case, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the buildingheating/cooling system 1 is used in a building 5 in which an above-floorspace 2 and under-floor space 3 are connected with each other through anopening portion 4. And is equipped with warm/cold air blowing means 6installed in the under-floor space 3, air flow baffle plates 7 adaptedto adjust a flow of warm/cold air sent by the warm/cold air blowingmeans 6. It is straightening vanes 8 adapted to straighten the flow ofwarm/cold air against obstacles in the under-floor space 3.Configurations of the building 5 and building heating/cooling system 1is described below in detail.

In this implementation case, building 5 is a multi-floor apartment madeof reinforced concrete. Two dwelling units of different roomarrangements are set side by side on each floor as shown in FIG. 1. InFIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the under-floor space 3 is shownin the room on the left side of a staircase 51. Above-floor space 2 isshown in the room on the right side of the staircase 51.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, each dwelling unit in the building 5 has anabove-floor space 2 and under-floor space 3. They are connected witheach other through the opening portion 4.

The above-floor space 2 is mainly a living space and is partitioned intoplural rooms by walls or doors. In FIG. 1, the above-floor space 2 ismade up like LDK room (living-dining-kitchen area) 21, an entrance room22, toilet room 23, utility room 24, and a private room 25.

In FIG. 2, an exhaust air outlet 27 is set in a wall surface 26 of atleast one of the rooms to discharge inside air to outside the building5, and each exhaust air outlet 27 is set with an exhaust fan 28 toforcibly discharge air.

Number of rooms, their layout, their sizes, and the like in theabove-floor space 2 can be selected appropriately according to thesurrounding environment of the building 5 and living environment of theresidents. Although it is assumed that the building 5 according to thepresent embodiment is a multi-floor apartment, this is not restrictive.

And the building 5 may be a detached, single-story or multi-story house.

Their foundation portion is set to be an under-floor space 3.Furthermore, the building 5 is not limited to those made of reinforcedconcrete. It is also allowed to be built by wood or the like.

The opening portion 4 is to blow out warm/cold air into the above-floorspace 2 from the under-floor space 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the openingportion 4 is set in each room in the above-floor space 2 to allow air toblowout into each room from under the floor. Also, although notillustrated, a louver is attached to the opening portion 4 to preventdust and the like from falling to the under-floor space 3.

Note that the number of opening portions 4, their layout, their size,and the like can be selected appropriately according to the roomarrangement in the above-floor space 2, the sizes of the rooms, and thelike.

The under-floor space 3 is used to place water piping for domestic wastewater, electric wiring, and studs for supporting walls, the floor, andthe like as well as stud runners 31 and the like such as shown in FIG.4. Also, the under-floor space 3 is connected within the dwelling unitto allow warm/cold air to circulate freely.

Next, the building heating/cooling system 1 is described as follows.

The warm/cold air blowing means 6 is designed to send warm/cold air fromthe under-floor space 3. In this implementation case, an air conditioner6 is used as the warm/cold air blowing means 6. Air conditioner 6 hasfunction to supply warm/cold air to the under-floor space 3 as well as afunction to send air from the under-floor space 3.

Air conditioner 6 includes an air conditioner body 61 is to heat/cool byair exchange. Outdoor unit 62 is to absorb or exhaust heat/cool throughheat/cool exchange. Refrigerant pipe 63 is to circulate a refrigerantbetween the air conditioner body 61 and outdoor unit 62.

Air conditioner body 61 has an air inlet 611 placed on the side of theabove-floor space 2 and an air outlet 612 placed on the side of theunder-floor space 3. This is intended to heat/cool once-warm/cold air inthe above-floor space 2 or outside air newly taken in, and blow out theheated/cooled air into the under-floor space 3. According to the presentembodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner body 61 is installedbehind the wall surface 26 of the above-floor space 2 between theabove-floor space 2 and under-floor space 3.

Air supply duct 10 is installed behind the wall surface 26 where the airconditioner body 61 is installed. The air supply duct 10 is to take inair from outside the building 5 or from outdoors. It is connected withthe staircase 51 of the apartment through the inner side of the wallsurface 26 and through an above-closet storage space 52 in FIG. 2.

Return air input port 11 is set to get partial warm/cold air from theabove-floor space 2 as return air is installed behind the wall surface26 where the air conditioner body 61 and air supply duct 10 areinstalled. Air from the return air input port 11 and air suppliedthrough the air supply duct 10 are mixed and supplied to the airconditioner body 61.

The outdoor unit 62 is placed outdoors. Outdoor unit 62 is placed on aporch/balcony 53 as shown in FIG. 1. This is not restrictive, and theoutdoor unit 62 can be installed anywhere as long as it is installedoutdoors.

Generally, the refrigerant pipe 63 is protected by heat/cool insulatingmaterial such as urethane foam. However in this implementation, therefrigerant pipe 63 is laid in the under-floor space 3 or buried in thereinforced concrete of the under-floor space 3 as shown in FIG. 3without being covered with heat/cool insulating material. This allowsheat/cool of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant pipe 63 tobe released in the under-floor space 3 or stored in the reinforcedconcrete.

The air flow baffle plate 7 is designed to convect the warm/cold airsent from the warm/cold air blowing means 6, in any desired direction inthe under-floor space 3. Warm/cold air blowing means 6 is made of platematerial formed into a substantially quarter circle in cross-sectionalshape as shown in FIG. 1. Note that the air flow baffle plate 7 may haveanother shape as long as the shape has the effect of convecting thewarm/cold air in any desired direction. It can be a straight plate or aplate with a more complicated curved surface.

In FIG. 1, the air flow baffle plates 7 are installed near a wall alonga direction of supply from the warm/cold air blowing means 6 as well asin corners 32 of the under-floor space 3 with a concave surface turnedto an approximate center of the under-floor space 3. As described later,the air flow baffle plates 7 are placed so as to cause the warm/cold airto convect counterclockwise.

Air flow baffle plates 7 are placed such that air passageways 9 adaptedto circulate the warm/cold air is set between the air flow baffle plates7 and wall surfaces in the corners 32 of the under-floor space 3. Airtends to stagnate in the corners 32 of the under-floor space, butthrough the installation of the air passageways 9 passing through thecorners 32. Warm/cold air is designed to reach behind the air flowbaffle plates 7, heating/cooling the entire under-floor space 3including the corners 32.

The straightening vane 8 is installed on an obstacle that obstructsconvection of the warm/cold air in the under-floor space. In particular,the stud runners 31 which have the role of supporting walls, floorplates, and the like are installed in the under-floor space 3. Howeverthe stud runners 31 obstruct convection by causing the warm/cold air tosuddenly change direction upward. Thus, in this implementation, as shownin FIG. 4, the straightening vane 8 is installed, sloping gently from afloor surface in the under-floor space 3 to a top surface of the studrunner 31 in order to prevent sudden change of direction.

Next, in this implementation case, operation of individual components ofthe building heating/cooling system 1 is described as follows.

The warm/cold air blowing means 6 sends warm/cold air to the under-floorspace 3. In FIG. 2, the air supplied through the air supply duct 10 andreturn air input port 11 is drawn in through the air inlet 611 by theair conditioner body 61 and heated/cooled by heat/cool exchange. And theresulting heated/cooled air is blown out into the under-floor space 3through the air outlet 612.

The air drawn in by the air conditioner 6 contains a mixture of not onlythe air supplied from outside the building 5 through the air supply duct10, but also part of the air which has heated/cooled the building 5. Theair supplied through the return air input port 11 is higher/lower intemperature than the outside air and the like supplied through the airsupply duct 10. And the resulting mixed air becomes higher intemperature than the air supplied directly through the air supply duct10.

Since air supply duct 10 runs through the above-closet storage space 52and behind the wall surface 26, the air passing through the air supplyduct 10 is heated/cooled by heat/cool conduction from a ceiling andwall.

This reduces a temperature difference between temperature of the air tobe heated/cooled by the air conditioner 6 and temperature of theheated/cooled air, resulting in a reduced operating load. Thereby itmakes possible to reduce power consumption.

Air flow baffle plate 7 changes direction of the warm/cold air sent bythe warm/cold air blowing means 6. And it is producing a convectioncurrent rotating in one direction. Specifically, the air flow baffleplates 7 changes wind direction of the warm/cold air sent by thewarm/cold air blowing means 6. Then along abutting surface causing thewarm/cold air to flow toward the corner 32 of the LDK room 21 on theside of the porch/balcony 53. The air flow baffle plate 7 placed in eachcorner 32 changes the wind direction of the incoming warm/cold air tothe direction of the air flow baffle plate 7 placed in another corner 32in a substantially perpendicular direction. In this way, according tothe present embodiment, as the air flow baffle plates 7 changes the winddirection to a desired direction, the warm/cold air convectscounterclockwise in the under-floor space 3 as shown in FIG. 5.

The air passageways 9 allow warm/cold air to flow between the air flowbaffle plates 7 and the corners 32 of the under-floor space 3.Consequently, the warm/cold air reaches every corner of the under-floorspace 3, heating the entire area under the floor. The above-floor space2 is heated/cooled by the heat/cool radiated from under the floor,offering an effect similar to that of so-called floor heating/cooling.

In FIG. 4, the straightening vane 8 mitigates changes in the flow ofwarm/cold air passing the stud runner 31. And thereby it causesconvection to occur smoothly in the under-floor space 3. Consequently,the warm/cold air can spread all over the under-floor space 3 even incase of a small air supply volume. It makes possible to reduce powerconsumption of the air blowing means 6.

Furthermore, heat/cool released from the refrigerant pipe 63 heats/coolsthe under-floor space 3. Also, the heat/cool is stored in the reinforcedconcrete and thereby allows the under-floor space 3 to maintainwarm/cold. This allows heat/cool generated through operation of the airconditioner 6 to be used as a heat/cool source for heating/coolingwithout waste.

The opening portion 4 allows part of convecting warm/cold air in theunder-floor space 3 to blow out into the above-floor space 2. Accordingto the present embodiment, air is discharged forcibly by the exhaustfans 28 installed at the exhaust air outlets 27, causing warm/cold airto blow out into respective rooms according to the exhaust volumes.

The warm/cold air blowing out heats/cools each room. The warm/cold airspread all over the under-floor space 3 is caused to blow out directly,making it easier to feel warmth/coolness. The volume of warm/cold airblown out into each room can be adjusted easily by adjusting the exhaustvolume using the exhaust fan 28 or by adjusting opening area of theopening portion 4. This makes it easy to control the temperature of eachroom.

Also, when the building heating/cooling system 1 is operated, part ofthe warm/cold air in the building 5 is discharged by the exhaust fan 28,and fresh air is supplied accordingly into the building 5 through theair supply duct 10. Thus, the building heating/cooling system 1 canalways supply fresh air into the building 5.

The building heating/cooling system 1 according to the presentembodiment described above provides the following advantages.

-   1. Since the entire under-floor space 3 can be heated/cooled quickly    by producing convection of warm/cold air, the warm/cold air can be    blown out of the opening portion 4 quickly.-   2. Since the warm/cold air is designed to reach behind the air flow    baffle plates 7 by providing the air passageways 9 in the corners 32    of the under-floor space 3, every corner of the under-floor space 3    can be heated/cooled.-   3. By causing convection to occur smoothly, the power consumed to    send air can be reduced.-   4. By using the warm/cold air circulated through the above-floor    space 2 and the exhaust heat/cool of the air conditioner 6, the    power consumption of the air conditioner 6 can be reduced.

Note that the building heating/cooling system according to the presentinvention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and may bechanged as appropriate.

For example, the warm/cold air blowing means 6 is not limited to an airconditioner, and can be selected appropriately from something equippedwith similar functions. That is, by heating/cooling the air under thefloor using a storage heater or the like placed under the floor, thewarm/cold air may be sent by blowing means such as an electric fan.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 Building heating/cooling system-   2 Above-floor space-   3 Under-floor space-   4 Opening portion-   5 Building-   6 Warm/cold air blowing means (air conditioner)-   7 Air flow baffle plate-   8 Straightening vane-   9 Air passageway-   10 Air supply duct-   11 Return air input port-   21 LDK room (living-dining-kitchen)-   22 Entrance room-   23 Toilet room-   24 Utility room-   25 Living space-   26 Wall surface-   27 Exhaust air outlet-   28 Exhaust fan-   31 Stud runner-   32 Corner-   51 Staircase-   52 Above-closet storage space-   53 Porch/balcony-   61 Air conditioner body-   62 Outdoor unit-   63 Refrigerant pipe-   611 Air inlet-   612 Air outlet

1. A integrated energy-saving building heating/cooling system byefficient air circulation technology configured to connect anabove-floor space and an under-floor space with each other through anopening portion, and adapted to heat/cool the above-floor space bysupplying warm/cold air to the under-floor space and blowing out thewarm/cold air through the opening portion, comprising: Warm/cold airblowing means adapted to send warm/cold air to the under-floor space;and an air flow baffle plate placed in the under-floor space and adaptedto convect the warm/cold air sent from the warm/cold air blowing meansin the under-floor space.
 2. The integrated energy-saving buildingheating/cooling system by efficient air circulation technology accordingto claim 1, wherein the air flow baffle plate is placed in a corner ofthe under-floor space to convect the warm/cold air clockwise orcounterclockwise in the under-floor space.
 3. The integratedenergy-saving building heating/cooling system by efficient aircirculation technology according to claim 1, wherein the air flow baffleplate is placed such that an air passageway adapted to circulate thewarm/cold air is set between the air flow baffle plate and a wallsurface in a corner of the under-floor space.
 4. The integratedenergy-saving building heating/cooling system by efficient aircirculation technology according to claim 1, wherein a stud runneradapted to support floor material installed in the under-floor space isset with a straightening vane sloping gently from a floor surface in theunder-floor space to a top surface of the stud runner.
 5. The integratedenergy-saving building heating/cooling system by efficient aircirculation technology according to claim 1, wherein the warm/cold airblowing means is an air conditioner whose air inlet is placed on theside of the above-floor space and whose air outlet is placed on the sideof the under-floor space.
 6. The integrated energy-saving buildingheating/cooling system by efficient air circulation technology accordingto claim 5, wherein an air supply duct adapted to supply air to the airconditioner is installed behind a wall surface of the above-floor space.7. The integrated energy-saving building heating/cooling system byefficient air circulation technology according to claim 6, wherein areturn air input port adapted to get partial warm/cold air from theabove-floor space as return air is installed behind the wall surfacewhere the air supply duct is installed and a mixture of air suppliedfrom the air supply duct and the return air is supplied to the airconditioner.
 8. The integrated energy-saving building heating/coolingsystem by efficient air circulation technology according to claim 5, therefrigerant pipe between an air conditioner body and outdoor unit of theair conditioner is laid in the under-floor space or under a floorsurface of the under-floor space.